SANTA SUSANA MOUNTAIN PARK ASSOCIATION Dedicated to the Preservation of the Santa Susana Mountains and Simi Hills A Non-Profit 501(c)(4) incorporated Nov. 30, 1971 Founded Nov. 20, 1970 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ssmpa.com

ST WINTER – 1 QUARTER, 2013 Newsletter Volume 43.10

SSMPA COMMUNITY MEETINGS: 7:15 pm

(Community Meetings are Free to SSMPA Members and Public.) Rockpointe Clubhouse: 22300 Devonshire Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311 (On the south side, one block before entrance to Chatsworth Park South)

Monday, January 21: Preserving the Simi Hills CNP: Canada Geese Photo: Henry Bollinger Rim of the Valley, Rocketdyne – Connecting the The Canada Geese have arrived for their winter visit in Linkage. Lead Presenter: John Luker, VP SSMPA the Chatsworth Nature Preserve (CNP). The SFV Special Guest: Clark Stevens: Executive Officer, Audubon Society traditional Christmas Bird Count in Resource Conservation District of the Santa the CNP however revealed that not a single blackbird, Monica Mtns. A review of SSMPA’s recent efforts not even a starling, was found in the Ecology Pond concerning land preservation in the most important area. There is concern that the Ecology Pond, which habitat linkage in Southern California. Followed by dried up twice during the summer months, is still not at Mr. Stevens’ presentation on habitat linkages and a water level needed to support the fringing marshland development issues. that small mammals, and resident and migratory birds require for nesting. Monday, February 18: California Wildlife Center Presenter: Cindy Reyes will discuss medical In Memoriam: Jarron Lucas (1946 – 2012) treatment and saving wildlife. Each year the Past-president and leader of the Southwestern California Wildlife Center (CWC) provides for Herpetologists Society: Jarron led many field trips to thousands of animals (land and marine,) medical study wildlife in the CNP. He respected and loved all treatment, rehabilitation, and release back into their animals, especially the reptiles and amphibians. He natural environment. Many of the injuries are a direct loved people, too, and shared his love of nature with result of urbanized environments. Education for old and young. A memorial service in the CNP was homeowners, teachers, and students is another held on Oct. 13 with a special blessing ceremony by service CWC provides to help wildlife and humans co- Mati Wayia -Wishtoyo Foundation- to celebrate exist. Come learn what to do if you find a sick, Jarron’s love and spirit in the Chatsworth Nature injured, or abandoned animal. www.cawildlife.org Preserve. Monday, March 18: St. Francis Dam Disaster and

Newhall Ranch Development Army Corps’ Destruction of Habitat: Sepulveda Presenter: Jonathan Q. Richmond, U.S. Basin: Kris Ohlenkam, SFV Audubon Conservation Geological Survey – Western Ecological Research Chairperson, has requested that people write to Center. March 12, 1928 the St. Francis Dam located Congressman, Brad Sherman, protesting the recent in the St. Francisquito Canyon, Santa Clara Valley, destruction of more than 40 acres of wildlife habitat in ruptured killing an estimated 500 to 600 people. The the Sepulveda Basin. See details in the LA Times th flooding sent water raging down the Santa Clara River article: Saturday, Dec. 29 “Nature Group stunned to the Pacific Ocean with huge chunks of concrete and after Army Corps levels habitat.” Brad Sherman’s other debris killing humans, critters and natural e-mail: [email protected]. habitat. Is the St. Francis Dam disaster a lesson not

learned as Newhall Ranch Development plans to build

21,000 homes in the Santa Clara floodplains?

Page 1 1st Quarter, 2013 LIVING LEGENDS: Serving 20 years or more for SSMPA and/or FPSSM (Foundation)

Bob Dager: Bob, recently honored at the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce’s 7th Annual Legends & Heroes Luncheon has long served as a board member for both SSMPA and FPSSM. Both Bob and his wife, Laurie, were active with the development of the SSPSHP. They spearheaded a 5-year community campaign to let state, county and local officials know that the park existed and the community wanted improvements for it; this resulted in the state’s adoption of a General Plan for the park. As a board member of the SSMPA, he helped set up the Santa Susana State Park Volunteer program which, after reactivation of the FPSSM, has been transferred to the Foundation. He now serves on the FPSSM board and is an active Volunteer. Along with his years of volunteer service with SSMPA/FPSSM, he is a founding board member and past president of the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council and is a member of the Chatsworth Historical Society, Friends of Chatsworth Library, and Santa Susana Volunteers.

Glenn Bailey: Glenn was invited to become involved with the SSMPA by its founder, Janice Hinkston, in 1973 while he was still in high school. He subsequently became a life member, board member, wrote the newsletter for several years, and served two terms as president during 1984-85 and 1995-96. Glenn also served on the Foundation board for over a decade beginning in 1980, including several years as its president, and rejoined the board in January 2010, currently serving as Vice-President. He helped negotiate the 1977 public-private partnership which led to 245 acres being acquired and later incorporated into the Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park. Glenn was the Valley Regional Coordinator to place the successful Proposition 70 initiative on the June 1988 ballot, which provided $10 million for additional State Park land acquisitions in Chatsworth.

Diana Davis-Dixon: Diana has served 31 years as a member of SSMPA, 15 years on the SSMPA board, and eleven years as Treasurer. Diana earned a Master Degree in demography/epidemiology at UC Berkeley. She worked for five years at the Argonne National Laboratory in IL researching health effects of pollution on human populations. This gives her valuable knowledge and experience in evaluating the health and safety conditions at the SSFL. She worked on CALPAW (bond) initiative, fund raising, Interim Management Plan for SSPSHP, Park Dedication Ceremony, and current Park Management Plan; LA City hearings and meetings that led to formation of the Chatsworth Nature Preserve. She is currently serving as V.P. of health and community concerns and legislation for the NWVC, and 31st District PTA. She has served as an elected member of the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council since its formation. She hopes to represent the CNC in the newly forming SSFL CAG.

Albert Knight: Albert served through the years on the SSMPA board in the positions of Vice President and Member-at-Large providing cultural and archaeological studies, knowledge for many projects that contributed to the creation of the Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park, Native American field studies throughout the area including the Santa Susana Field Lab, interpretive hike leader, and has written many articles for SSMPA’s newsletters, event handouts and website … see “Rock Art” on our website. He is also largely responsible for the creation of the Stonehurst Historic District, in the location of NE San Fernando Valley, and the Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park: Tehachapi Valley. He is the author of several articles on prehistoric rock art in Southern California.

Janet Lazik: Janet realized after hiking with Jan Hinkston that she learned about Native Americans in other states in her family travel but knew little about the Native Americans in our local area. She began to research the Native Americans here in San Fernando/Simi Valley. She became the SSMPA Docent Coordinator, coordinating training of docents by State Park and National Park Service. She planned enrichment programs for docents: tours of cultural centers, museums & hikes in LA and Ventura Counties. She provided pre-hike classroom presentations, coordinated clean ups & other special events, led hikes for children from Chatsworth, east LA and various schools throughout the valley. She also participated in Community outreach: Chatsworth Library presentation covering the local Native Americans, mentor to CSUN student Rodney Harding and other activities. Janet served as the Foundation’s VP and Member-at-Large, Simi Valley Chair, between March 1997 – Feb. 2007. She received a recognition award by the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council for her community work. In 2009, Janet met with John Luker and Carla Bollinger to consult on re-activating a park docent/volunteer program to keep SSPSHP open after threat of closure. Janet’s input became the groundwork for the SSPSH Park Volunteers program.

Nancy Razanski: : Nancy responded to Jan Hinkston’s newspaper article posted in Nov.1970 forming the SSMPA with the mission to create a historic state park, a large ecology pond in the Chatsworth Reservoir, and protect and preserve the Santa Susana Mountains and Simi Hills. Nancy attended the second meeting in December, committing herself to a life of service for both SSMPA/FPSSM. She served as board Presidents for both: SSMPA: 1990-1992; FPSSM: 1997-2002 and 2010-2011. During 1970-1973, alongside Jan, she worked hard to raise $10,000 through many community events, parades, fairs, donation contributions. The $10,000 raised by SSMPA was transferred to the Foundation (founded in 1974 for the purpose of accepting large donations and purchasing land.) She assisted Jan and Zelma Skillman, then SSMPA President, on the land acquisition of Elizabeth Nichols’ 1/3 shared property, for open space. The complete lot, was purchased by the Foundation in 1977. In 2000 SSMPA and the Foundation contributed $500.00 each and Dorian Keyser, SSMPA V.P., Nancy, Foundation President, and Dan Preece, former Angeles district superintendent of State Parks, signed the Park Interim Management Plan. Edison Co. in Dec., 1993 caused damage to State Park land purchased before SSPSHP became a park. The damage involved bulldozing destruction of olive trees, and caused historic and archaeological damage. Nancy worked with Jan to prepare for a CA State Parks’ lawsuit against Edison, organizing records and providing photos. Edison settled out of court with CA State Parks with the stipulation that the monies awarded could be used only for the SSM parkland project. From this settlement a team of about 20 scientists, botanists, paleontologists, archaeologists, etc. were hired to prepare an analysis for the General Plan necessary for SSPSHP to become an active CA State Historic Park. Nancy has served SSMPA/FPSSM for 43 years and continues to provide advisory information.

Warren & Linda Stone: Will report on the contributions to the community made by Warren and Linda Stone in the next newsletter. A special thank you! Lee Baum, Sierra Club Task Force, has led the Stagecoach Trail interpretative hike into the history of Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park since 1990. We are indebted to all his years of serving the community with his knowledge and dedication.

2013 SSMPA Board Members Teena Takata, President John Luker, Vice President Diana Dixon-Davis, Treasurer Vanessa Watters, Recording Secretary Carla Bollinger, Program Chair/Newsletter Editor/PR Warren Stone, Website Master Robert “Bob” Dager, Hospitality-Member E-list Albert Knight, Archaeologist Tom Nachtrab, Member-at-Large CHATSWORTH PARK SOUTH: Closed for 1788 DAYS Tom Nachtrab, SSMPA Board Member, reports:  Gym (Rec Center) was to re-open by ‘first of year’ 2013. Not yet open.  LA City is “still anticipating that the gym will be opened for permitted use in January.”  Some recent activity around the Rec Center: New security cameras and loudspeakers outside. Occasional trucks outside and workers inside.  LA City Recreation and Parks Department was to present draft remedial action plan for entire park cleanup to DTSC December 7, 2012. Delayed. New due date not yet announced. Want to make your own inquiries and comments? [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Santa Susana Tarplant or Tarweed

Deinandra Minthornii

Endangered: CA State listed: Rare. Grows in crevices of sandstone bluffs and outcrops in the chaparral of the Simi Hills-Santa Susana Mountains and Santa Monica Mountains. It is in the sunflower family with yellow flowering July to October. A small shrub with growth from 1.5 to 3 ft.high and up to 10 ft. wide. Threats: Residential development and new roads. Management is by private landowners, LADWP, and larger development; little of this plants' habitat is protected.

San Fernando Valley Spineflower Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandino

Endangered: CA State listed: Endangered. This small native plant was thought to be extinct in the 1930's. It was found in the lower Simi Hills in June 1999 and spared from the Ahmanson Ranch Development which became a state park. It is in the Buckwheat family with white blooms from April to June. SFV Spineflower requires open habitats, free of shade and competing plants. Grows in dry, sandy places, coastal sage scrub, gravel washes and sandy alluvial scrub, in hills up to 2500 ft. elevation. Found in a veneer of silty sand on bedrock or trapped sediments. Threat: Urban Sprawl with new threat to habitat in proposed Newhall Ranch Development, Santa Clara River flood plains. Illustrations/Article: Carla Bollinger HIKES and OTHER ACTIVITIES Welcome Walks: Foundation for the Preservation of Santa Susana Mountains www.fpssm.org and Facebook: Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park. Foundation Interpretative hike leaders: Dale Chaloukian, John Luker, Teena Takata, and Peter Ullrich.

SSPSHP Volunteer Hikes: Contact: Jennifer Dandurand, park interpretive specialist, volunteer coordinator, Los Encinos SHP 818.784.4849 l e: [email protected] schedule: w: 1:30-5:30; th, sa: 9-5:30; su: 1-5:30 (off: m,tu,f)

Rancho Simi Trail Blazers: www.simitrailblazers.com : activities/index.html

Allied Artists: www.allied-artists.com Art exhibits: Sunday, March 24, 11 am – 5 pm: King Gillette Ranch, NPS Visitor Center

SFV Audubon: www.sfvaudubong.org Meetings and Bird Walks for Families

Sierra Club: www.angeles.sierraclub.org/sfvg/ Meetings, Hikes, Local Enviromental Issues

Garden Festival: Chatsworth Historical Society: April 29, 11 – 4 pm. At the Historic Acre. E-mail: [email protected] and/or call 818-882-5614 for regular museum hours.

Historical Societies: Chatsworth: www.historicalsocieties.net; Canoga-Owensmouth: www.co-hs.org; Leonis Adobe: www.leonisadobemuseum.org; SFV: www.sfvhs.com. Updates check website: www.ssmpa.com

SSMPA Mission: Our mission is to preserve and protect habitats for plants and animals native to our area, preserve unique geological formations, and sites of ethnological, archaeological, and historic interest, particularly in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains. We also seek to provide passive recreational and environmental education opportunities, support the acquisition of new public parks, and open space and conservation easements, expand existing natural parks, and to participate in the planning of park infrastructure and programs.

IS YOUR 2012/2013 MEMBERSHIP DUE? With your membership renewal and/or donations, you help in providing SSMPA continued success from providing free community meetings, advocacy for open space/nature preserves, keeping local parks open and funded, acquiring land parcels to protect wildlife corridors and park space for humans, preserving Chatsworth and surrounding area’s local history, cultural and archaeological sites. SSMPA membership is a voice in your community.

Thank you for your contributions in Fall, 2012: Travis & Vivian Chamichian: Two family life memberships!, Donations: Tom & Donna Nachtrab, Robert & Rayena Pavlik, and Edwin Embree and for all new members and renewals!

Sign up for a LIFE MEMBERSHIP and/or a DONATION OF $50.00 and receive a FREE SSMPA/CHUMASH designed Organic Cotton T-SHIRT (image on www.ssmpa.com “Supporting SSMPA”): Let us know your size when you mail in your check.

PLEASE SEND IN YOUR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TODAY OR NEW MEMBERS … Membership dues: ( ) $20.00 for individuals ( ) $25.00 for a Family ( ) $30.00 for a business or organization ( ) $150.00 for Individual Life Membership ( ) $200.00 for a Family Life Membership. Make your check payable to SSMPA and mail to SSMPA, P.O. Box 4831, Chatsworth, CA 91313-4831 Please be sure to fill in the following information:

Name(s) ______E-mail______

Address:______

Phone:______Special interests or skills you have and if you would like

to volunteer for any activities: ______

IMPORTANT: Please send today your e-mail address or changes to your e-mail address to board member, Robert “Bob” Dager: [email protected]. Your e-mail address is exclusively used for the SSMPA newsletter and community announcements. Note: If you must receive your newsletter via snail-mail, please send an additional $10.00. Thank you for your support!

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